By Ryan Gallagher| Posted Thursday, July 5, 2012, at 6:30 PM ETFirst it was fingerprints, then DNA. Now databases of iris scans are next on the biometrics list for law enforcement agencies in their efforts to track criminals.As part of a $1 billion upgrade, the FBI is implementing a Next-Generation Identification System that will expand its old fingerprint database to allow for “rapid matching” of physical identifiers including iris scans, facial images, and palm prints, Mashable reported today.

The FBI, which is reportedly working with Massachusetts-based BI2 Technologies, aims to launch a pilot nationwide database of iris scans by 2014. The FBI has already been provided with more than 12,000 iris images from “current law enforcement agency clients” for analysis and testing, according to BI2’s president, Sean G. Mullin.

This isn’t a wholly new development. BI2 says agencies in 47 states have been gathering iris data in prisons as part of an inmate identification scheme for six years. The company is also rolling out a biometric device—built into an iPhone app—that can be used remotely to recognize and identify people based on iris, face, or fingerprint.

There are obvious civil liberties concerns around collecting ever more kinds of biometric data on a nationwide scale, even if only of convicts. BI2 says that its iris technology addresses privacy issues because subjects have to “agree to enroll and participate” in order to have their eyes photographed. But because currently all of BI2’s iris scans from across the United States are stored centrally on a server located in Texas, the ultimate safety and security of the technology is questionable. Though the iris scans are encrypted, there is always the possibility hackers could gain access.

Passengers say their problem is not with the rules at the airport. They understand why drinks are not allowed through security, but when they buy one while they wait for their flight, they say the TSA shouldn't ask to test it.

Passengers say traveling is a big enough stress, but now some are worried the drinks they are getting are not safe.

The TSA wouldn't say what they're testing for or why they are doing it, but travelers say they have a right to know.

"I'm always glad that my safety is a priority, I just think testing drinks after they've already been bought might be a little extreme," infrequent flyer Jennifer Smart said.

"The water or or the juices or anything you buy here in the airport, TSA is going to come over and look and check and test it? That's just ridiculous," world traveler Thomas Burgard said.

We asked the TSA about the drink testings and they said, "TSA employees have many layers of security throughout airports. Passengers may be randomly selected for additional screening measures at the checkpoint or in the gate at any time."

Passengers we spoke to also said they think the price of drinks are too expensive. If security is going to test them, it should be before they are purchased, so they don't waste their money.

By Dawn Lim July 9, 2012The Pentagon and Afghan government are relying more heavily on biometric technology to track and hinder militant movements in Afghanistan, The Economist reports.

The U.S. Army and the Afghan government have built a database of digital records of more than 2.5 million people in the country, according to the report. The data are shared with the FBI, Homeland Security Department and allies.The database is likely to grow following the implementation of biometric scanners at all border crossings last year.“Fighting-age males” -- those between 15 and 70 -- can be scanned compulsorily in contested areas. Collecting the fingerprints and scanning irises of the dead are standard practices, as usable scans can be obtained as long as six hours after death.Nearly 500 Taliban prisoners escaped from Kandahar’s Sarposa prison in 2011. Within a month, 30 had been recaptured because of random biometric checks of the population, according to The Economist.http://www.nextgov.com/big-data/2012/07/biometrics-blossom-afghanistan/56683/?oref=nextgov_today_nl

By Aliya Sternstein July 17, 20127 CommentsThe FBI is consulting local police and vendors about technology currently in use that can spot crooks and terrorists by interpreting the symbolism of their tattoos, according to government documents. The inquiry follows work already underway at the bureau and Homeland Security Department to add iris and facial recognition services to their respective fingerprint databases.

The FBI on Friday issued a request for information on existing databases “containing tattoo/symbol images, their possible meanings, gang affiliations, terrorist groups or other criminal organizations.”The mass collection of multiple biometric markers, potentially including vocal tracks and handwriting samples, has upset immigrant communities who say the FBI and DHS are misusing the technology to deport innocent people.On July 11, the Wall Street Journalreported that the government denied green cards to spouses of permanent U.S. residents, some with no arrest records, because their tattoos resembled gang symbols. This week, a Senate panel is scheduled to question the FBI about the civil liberties consequences of facial recognition.Friday’s RFI asks law enforcement agencies, vendors and academics to supply by Aug. 13 information about the capabilities of tattoo analysis systems. The bureau is interested in learning how body art databases draw on the knowledge of gang experts and cryptanalysts as well as how they document “possible meanings and gang affiliations” observed by officials nationwide.Privacy implications are only briefly addressed, in the context of policies regarding “what special guidelines will be followed when dealing with tattoos in ‘sensitive’ locations?” and other images that perhaps should not be in public records.

The bureau also wants to learn about vetting pictures, sharing access to the database; and ways for multiple agencies to coordinate on data gathering.

The FBI is 60 percent finished with a $1 billion update of its fingerprint database to allow for identifying suspects from their irises, faces and skin characteristics such as scars, according to the bureau. Meanwhile, skeptics and academic studies say determined terrorists can elude even a multimedia biometric database.In a pilot program, the FBI earlier this year began matching the 12.8 million mug shots in its expanding database with crime photos submitted by Michigan police, as first reported by Nextgov. During a Senate subcommittee hearing Wednesday, bureau officials gave assurances that facial recognition alone is not being used to finger suspects.“Information derived from the pilot search requests and resulting responses are to be used only as an investigative lead,” said Jerome Pender, deputy assistant director of the FBI criminal justice information services division. “Results are not to be considered as positive identifications.”The bureau’s technology works by querying the database for mug shots resembling a face that local authorities have uploaded for “law enforcement purposes,” as defined by rules. The officers first choose how many similar shots they would like to see. The machine then returns a list of possible matches plus corresponding rap sheet numbers, ranked in order of similarity -- “along with a caveat that the response should only be used as an investigative lead,” Pender said.The police department requesting the information is then responsible for conducting a full investigation of potential matches, according to the bureau.“You can’t change your fingerprint and you can’t change your face, unless I guess you go to a great deal of trouble,” said Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., chairman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology and the Law.That’s not necessarily true, opponents say.During interviews, critics of photo facial recognition said the FBI’s system, as currently designed, will be no match for deceptive crooks, who, for instance, wear special contact lenses or undergo cosmetic surgery. Other imaging tools, such as special infrared cameras, may be better for booking criminals if the police want an accurate, permanent identification record, they said.Infrared facial recognition technology works similarly to the military’s night-vision gear, but instead of mapping body heat it senses thermal blood vessels in the face. Skin directly on top of blood vessels is warmer than the surrounding skin, enabling the camera to “visualize,” or map, the face’s unique vascular pattern.The price of a camera capable of capturing thermal identities has plummeted from $80,000 to about $5,000 during the past decade, said Stanley E. Derr, president of SED Technology LLC, an infrared imaging research and development firm. The business is working on a recognition system that would cost a county sheriff’s office between $25,000 and $50,000, he said.The infrared facial recognition technology is considered very reliable because factors such as environmental conditions or a subject’s clogged arteries or spider vein removal won’t change that pattern, Derr said. Cosmetic surgery or scarring, “may shrink your blood vessels, but it does not do away with them,” he said. “To really change the major blood vessels in your face you have to go deep enough that you have a real chance of killing the person.”Under the FBI’s present plan for the biometric upgrade, called the Next-Generation Identification program, the face search function is expected to be fully operational by summer 2014, along with tools for matching scars, marks and tattoos.On Tuesday, Nextgov reported that the FBI is seeking advice from municipalities and vendors on technology that can spot offenders by interpreting the symbolism of their tattoos.By fall 2013, the system is slated to try out searching digital scans of irises, the colored portion of the eyes, according to the FBI. Currently, the bureau is building a database of eye patterns partly from scans submitted by jails that use iris recognition to monitor prisoners’ comings and goings, Nextgovlearned in June.Iris scans, with or without contact lenses, may be misleading, according to new research. Scientists at the University of Notre Dame have discovered that digital iris files morph with age.Still, the bureau seems confident with the existing technology. “The NGI program, which is on scope, on schedule and on cost and is 60 percent deployed, is enabling the FBI to meet its criminal justice mission,” Pender said.

Melinda Deaton's family filed a formal complaint with the Transportation Security Administration after she received a strip search that entailed swabbing the feeding tube protruding from her stomach. Her husband claimed that this interference could have caused a life-ending infection, given her medical condition.Deaton was flying out of Dallas Love Field airport to reach her medical appointment at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. As TSA agents patted her down, they noticed the four-inch tube hanging from her stomach.The tube, which expels toxins from her body, was implanted following complications from an earlier gastric bypass surgery. The agents asked to see her tube, but didn't like what they saw when it was revealed.

Her husband John Deaton was outraged. He told NBC, "They had physically stripped her and saw the tube coming out of her stomach, and they decided that they needed to check it for explosives, so they had to physically handle the tube."5 FLORIDA TSA WORKERS FIRED, 38 OTHERS SUSPENDED Part of this physical handling entailed swabbing the tube for bomb-making material, which could have caused contamination. "She has a weak immune system as part of her medical condition," John said, "and it can be very fatal to her."

Her medical requires her to consume soft foods. The TSA officers tossed her pudding and applesauce into the trash, at which point she requested to speak with the supervisor. The supervisor retrieved her food from the trash for screening (out of her sight), before returning it to Deaton.Following her experience, Deaton called her husband, who filed the complaint at his wife's behalf.On Thursday, the TSA issued a statement reinforcing their commitment to professionalism. But it did not express remorse for the treatment Deaton received: "In this specific incident, an investigation was initiated and it was determined that the Transportation Security Officer (TSO) followed standard operating procedures conducted in the presence of a Supervisor TSO."

The FBI's Biometric Center of Excellence, which already collects tattoos and other identity markers in its massive database, sent a request July 13 to police agencies for information "related to any current databases containing tattoo/symbol images, their possible meanings, gang affiliations, terrorist groups or other criminal organizations."

In this photo provided by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, ICE officers check a tattoo to log any identifiable gang affiliation in Los Angeles, in this photo, date unknown during a nationwide summer crackdown. (AP Photo/ICE)

Related Article:Tattoo parlor run by Ga. police busts gangs

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Gang members and terrorist groups often share symbols among their followers as a way to easily identify one another and gauge member loyalty. Members of the Latin Kings, for example, illustrate their bodies with a crown, while members of the MS-13 gang usually tattoo "MS" on their skin. But other symbols are more cryptic.

FBI agents say combining their database with information gathered from tattoo databases at more than 18,000 law enforcement agencies could improve everyone's biometric-based crime-fighting and anti-terrorism efforts.

"Some of our database users have expressed a desire for (knowing) what tattoos may potentially mean," said Bill Casey, the program director at the FBI's biometric center. "We are trying to learn the lay of the land and see if there are any databases out there agencies may want to share."

Central Florida law enforcement agencies routinely save in databases the digital images they take of tattoos and scars found on suspects, others under investigation or bodies that are discovered.

The FBI's interest in broadening and deepening its tattoo database is part of the agency's larger project of collecting biometric information for its Next Generation Identification Program. That initiative also aims to expand the agency's collection of fingerprints, palm prints and iris scans.

The agency hopes to deploy an improved, searchable database of tattoos, scars and birthmarks in 2014, agency records show.

Associated Press NASHVILLE, TENN. — A woman was found guilty Tuesday of disorderly conduct for berating security officers trying to pat down her teenage daughter and then refusing to submit to the procedure herself at a Tennessee airport.

Jurors deliberated four hours before convicting Andrea Abbott. She had faced up to 30 days in jail and a $50 fine for her conduct in the July 2011 confrontation at Nashville International Airport, but the judge placed her on probation for a year because she has no criminal record.Judge Joe P. Binkley Jr., warned the 42-year-old “to be certain you don’t get into any further problems with the law.”Abbott didn’t talk to reporters outside the courtroom. Her defense attorney, Brent Horst, said she was disappointed in the verdict, but felt she got a fair trial.“She just wanted to stand on principle, because she felt that she had done nothing wrong,” said Horst, who handled the case pro bono. “And I admire her for that.”The prosecution said Abbott’s behavior “prevented others from carrying out their lawful activities,” which is part of the definition of disorderly conduct under state law. Abbott testified during the first day of the trial on Monday that she was not unruly but did yell at officers. She said she was “irritated, but not arguing.”However, Assistant District Attorney Megan King said in closing arguments Tuesday that Abbott’s behavior caused two security lanes to be halted and made a normally one-minute security check a 30-minute ordeal.“The defendant should have been aware that her behavior would prevent others from carrying out their lawful activities,” King said.Horst said his client may have been loud, but she was only exercising her right to free speech.“Telling a police officer your opinion, even in strong language, to me that’s a First Amendment right,” Horst told reporters.According to an affidavit, Abbott first refused to allow her daughter — then 14 — to go through a body scan machine, saying she didn’t want “someone to see our bodies naked.”http://www.theleafchronicle.com/viewart/20121023/NEWS01/310230050/Mother-found-guilty-airport-pat-down-case

Not content with treating people like prisoners in the nation’s airports, the TSA is rapidly expanding its operations with random spot checks on Amtrak trains. This was in full evidence yesterday in Austin, Texas, as passengers at Lamar Boulevard station were treated to random bag checks at the hands of agents and drug sniffing dogs.

The TSA agents, as well as Austin police officers, and officials from the Department of Homeland Security all descended on the station yesterday morning at 9.30am.

“The security at airports has increased so the bad guys are now traveling on the trains and buses,” TSA official George Robinson told kxan news. Of course, no “bad guys” were actually discovered. In fact nothing was discovered, other than a few disgruntled passengers who did not appreciate the government rifling through their bags.

“These facilities are not necessarily protected as well,” Robinson added, noting “We do impromptu visits at locations throughout the country.”

The random checks are labeled as “voluntary”, purely because if they were anything but, they would be unconstitutional, violating the Fourth Amendment, which protects against unreasonable searches.

As outlined in the video report, all passengers were asked by TSA agents to place their bags down on the platform to allow dogs to sniff away at them in search of drugs or explosives.

When the train arrived, the dogs were also taken on board to check the cargo holds.

As we have exhaustively documented, the TSA has long since expanded outside of airports, and is now in the process of transforming itself into a security force that will have a presence at virtually every major public venue, from sports events, to political functions, to music concerts.

Before the February 2012 Super Bowl, the TSA attracted derision for a program which trained thousands of fast food sellers and other vendors to spot terrorists under the “First Observer” program. VIPR teams were also out in force at the stadium and nearby transportation hubs.

Earlier this month, we reported on how the TSA was seeking permission from the Office of Management and Budget to conduct “security assessments” on highways as well as at 140 other public transportation hubs, including bus depots and train stations.

Last year, the TSA was responsible for over 9,000 checkpoints across the United States, a number set to increase thanks to the agency’s bloated budget and its expansion beyond anything vaguely related to transportation. Since its inception in the US after 9/11, the TSA has grown in size exponentially. The agency was slammed in a recent congressional report for wasting hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars on security theater.

One such checkpoint involving TSA agents took place last year in Tennessee, where Visible Intermodal Prevention and Response (VIPR) teams checked trucks at five weigh stations and two bus stations in the state, as well as making trucks pass through x-ray scanners. TSA officials also used the checkpoint to try and recruit truck drivers to become citizen snitches under the First Observer Highway Security Program.

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Steve Watson is the London based writer and editor for Alex Jones’ Infowars.com, and Prisonplanet.com. He has a Masters Degree in International Relations from the School of Politics at The University of Nottingham, and a Bachelor Of Arts Degree in Literature and Creative Writing from Nottingham Trent University.

NORFOLK (NNS) -- The Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (VBSS) team aboard USS Bainbridge (DDG 96) received improved equipment for identification of potential hostiles taken into custody during maritime operations, May 21. The Navy wanted to develop a program that would ultimately meet the needs of Sailors during VBSS missions. John Boyd, Director, Defense Biometrics and Forensics, presented the upgraded AN/PYX-1 Identity Dominance System to the boarding team during a brief ceremony. "The system is used in a maritime environment to collect biometrics such as face, finger, and iris images, and enroll that information into a local database and match against known persons of interest," said Boyd. "Once the information has been captured, the system sends the information back to the authoritative data base."Biometrics can also include personal biographical information such as birthdates and family names. This equipment is designed to help Sailors accurately retrieve information of the suspects in a more timely matter. This updated system is made for a more rugged environment."The system also pulls down information from cell phones and ties that in with the biometric data, biographic data, and contextual data about what was going on during the boarding," Boyd said."This is a gadget that gets biometrics from bad guys, specifically pirates," said Lt. j.g. Vanessa K. Sonnichsen, VBSS officer aboard guided-missile destroyer Bainbridge. "It is necessary to conduct biometrics for the same reasons that police collect similar data on suspected criminals."This equipment will have a direct impact on the VBSS team's success in supporting the Navy's Maritime Strategy as Bainbridge prepares for an upcoming deployment this summer."This is something that will benefit not just the Navy; the Marines are also looking to use this system as a baseline," said Boyd. "This is a huge opportunity for the Joint Forces and the Navy is leading the way."For more news from Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, visit www.navy.mil/local/surflant/.

Army Pfc. David Diaz, right, assigned to Team Hatchet, 1st Battalion, 501st Infantry Regiment, Task Force 4-25, collects a DNA sample for biometrics from an Afghan man at a security checkpoint in Afghanistan’s Khost province, Sept. 8, 2012. U.S. Central Command’s Science and Technology Division has been a major advocate of the technologies used for biometric identification and battlefield forensics to support deployed warfighters. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Kimberly Trumbull(Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

The impromptu briefing completed, Drake is known to cajole his unsuspecting “students” into raising their right hands so he can deputize them as “honorary deputy science advisors for U.S. Central Command.” “I tell them, ‘It takes a village to be the best and to be able to understand where technology is going,’” said Drake, who runs Centcom’s dozen-member Science and Technology Division.

“We can’t do this by ourselves, and we need their help.” The elevator encounters are just one example of the team’s unrelenting quest to identify better ways to support warfighters in the command’s demanding and complex area of operations. The office members, an eclectic mix of active-duty forces, military retirees and civilian employees, scour the Internet, professional journals and technology expositions to seek out new and emerging technology-related capabilities, Drake told American Forces Press Service.

That boils down to taking gaps and requirements as identified by U.S. forces and partner nations in the theater, converting them into technical requirements, then going out to the science and technology community for solutions. It’s a search that begins with the Defense Department’s own advanced technology arms -- among them the Office of the Secretary of Defense’s Rapid Fielding Directorate; the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency; the Army Research, Development and Engineering Command; the Office of Naval Research; and the Air Force Research Laboratory.

But it extends across the interagency, industrial, academic and international scientific and technological communities.

One staffer frequently visits businesses, garages, anywhere he might stumble on “that piece of technology that might not otherwise be discovered through normal Department of Defense processes,” Drake said. Others are dedicated to analyzing the technologies they discover or that others bring to them to identify how it might translate to capability on the ground.

“We are looking for things that might fill the gaps and seams between our military departments in supporting forces in our operational battle space,” Drake explained. “We are looking for that unique approach that may not be discovered or headed toward being discovered by the Department of Defense.”

Centcom’s effort, similar to those at U.S. Pacific Command and U.S. Southern Command, focuses on requirements specific to its geographic area of operations. The idea, Drake explained, is to be able to look across the vast research and development programs taking place within military, government, private and international sectors.

“We think we have a unique perspective,” he said. “We are looking across the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and our coalition partners. Because we are not tied to any one service approach, we look to see how we can bring them together, and what it might take to make it better.” When a concept appears particularly promising, he added, Centcom promotes it through the Defense Department’s research, development and acquisition channels.

“I characterize myself as a venture capitalist with no capital,” Drake said. “I don’t have any money, and U.S. Central Command is not an acquisition authority.” All acquisitions in support of Centcom operations are funded by the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Staff and the military services, he noted.

“So what I do is advocate for potential solutions,” Drake said. “And through that advocacy, we try to help maneuver promising technology through our developmental and acquisition processes.”

This approach has promoted far-ranging technologies that have proven to be winners on the battlefield. For example, Centcom’s Science and Technology Division was a major advocate of the technologies used for battlefield forensics and biometric identification. Both are considered invaluable for warfighters operating against adversaries who don’t wear military uniforms and often operate in the shadows.

“These have become absolute tools for our forces forward, to help them sort out the who’s who in the battle space,” Drake said.

But the division doesn’t limit its scope to technologies, Drake emphasized. “We’re also looking at concepts” to identify ways to improve current procedures and processes for future operations, he said. “This is a conceptual-type review of things we currently do and asking, ‘Can we do them better?’

“So this is not only about building new things,” Drake continued. “We are also improving the things we have, trying to make them better, more cost effective and easier for folks in the field.”

For example, the team is researching better ways to operate in remote areas with little or no infrastructure to support those operations, Drake explained. Its members continue to explore smaller, more efficient power sources and new technologies that make it easier to communicate and push data.

“We have learned a lot over the past decade,” he said. “The good news, from my seat, is that I have seen a lot of the processes, procedures and policies changing for the better. We are embracing technology earlier and more fully. And my belief is that if we were faced with a similar situation in the future, we would do it somewhat differently as a result.” But the search is far from over, and Drake said his team is leaving no stone unturned in its efforts to support U.S. forces in the region.

“We always have our eyes over the fence to see what is going on,” he said. “As I tell my staff, ‘We will go anywhere. We will listen to anything,’ because I never know when the next, best technology is going to manifest itself.”

Starting from this October (December in some countries), the Canadian government will have special requirements for travellers from specific countries, in other words most of these countries are Muslim. Now along with a passport and Visa, people travelling from countries like Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Yemen, Nigeria, Albania, and Somalia will also have to give a finger print to Canadian Immigration, to ensure that multiple people are unable to enter Canada with the same Visa. Other countries that are allies with Canada, such as China, India, Mexico, Brazil, Vietnam etc will only need as Visa, having an everlasting friendship with Canada. Visitors from the USA, Britain, British Colonies, Israel, France, Bahamas, Australia etc will only need a passport. You can see which countries are required to give a fingerprint at the Canadian govt website: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/visas.aspThis is a very nice policy, keeping an eye on Muslims coming to our countries! Other countries should also implement this new regulation!

Security vs. Privacy: Experts believe the conflict can be resolved in a way that improves the world. Biometrics is on the verge of becoming more pervasive than ever in everyday life, setting the stage for personal identifiers to take the place of other common security measures. The expansion mirrors increased usage in fields such as military operations, citizen enrollment and public safety.

Apple’s announcement that its upcoming iPhone 5s will include a fingerprint scan to validate users marks a huge leap forward in biometrics’ integration into society at large. Through this technology and those that will inevitably follow, large swaths of the population will become habituated to regular use of biometrics. “This is really a game changer for the industry,” Walter Hamilton, vice chairman of the International Biometrics & Identification Association, said. His remarks came during a panel presentation at the Biometric Consortium Conference held in Tampa, Florida, this week.

Success by Apple will result in a huge increase of fingerprint biometrics on smartphones and the sun will have set on passwords, at least in the smart mobile market, he added. Dr. Joseph Atick, chairman, Identity Council International, said during the same discussion that despite naysayers, he believes the 5s announcement will be remembered as a landmark event in biometrics. Any way people look at it, the technology marks a leap forward, even if adjustments to the technology become necessary, he explained.

Mobility is driving advancements in biometrics in other ways as well. Google is launching technology that will allow users to pause a video, click on an actor’s face and, through facial recognition, pull up information on that person. Banking institutions are using voice biometrics in apps to authenticate customers.

In other areas, biometrics use grows as well. Several financial institutions use voice biometrics in call centers to validate clients. In Europe, a hotel employs fingerprints instead of keys to open guest-room doors while another location allows shoppers to scan fingerprints connected to their credit cards to pay for items. Casinos have installed facial recognition programs to identify cheaters or other bad actors.

Atick identified four short-term trends he said personnel in the field should pay attention to as they make plans. Those trends are development as a new driver for adoption; Africa, the next frontier for the community; facial recognition, “It’s back in a big way,” Atick stated; and the rise of e-services.

With the advancements come concerns about privacy and regulation. Kelli Emerick, executive director, Secure ID Coalition, explained that policy makers need to know more about the benefits of biometrics so they can calm concerns of their constituents. The field helps keep people safe, secures their information against intrusion and reduces fraud when resources are implemented correctly. With budgets tight, the United States may be at a tipping point where the money biometrics can save by cutting down on fraud in programs outweighs previous doubts about its use. Emerick said policymakers will have to lead the way, but the biometrics community must advocate for itself.

Biometrics have helped law enforcement and customs officials catch more criminals and stop them from entering the country, proving the viability of the field. Christopher Miles, biometrics program manager within the Homeland Security Advanced Research Projects Agency, said the community should do more to showcase its successes, building on the many positive results within the departments of Justice and Homeland Security. He also referenced military plans to expand biometrics activities to all areas where it operates. The long-term systems he referenced that brought about all the wins for the various government entities prove the need to keep supporting long-term research and development in the field, he concluded.

Abdulla Darrat, an urban planner from Queens, said he has been singled out for repeated searches by airport security.

By SUSAN STELLIN Published: October 21, 2013 The Transportation Security Administration is expanding its screening of passengers before they arrive at the airport by searching a wide array of government and private databases that can include records like car registrations and employment information.

Mr. Darrat said the SSSS printed on his boarding pass meant he had to have enhanced screening. While the agency says that the goal is to streamline the security procedures for millions of passengers who pose no risk, the new measures give the government greater authority to use travelers’ data for domestic airport screenings. Previously that level of scrutiny applied only to individuals entering the United States.

The prescreening, some of which is already taking place, is described in documents the T.S.A. released to comply with government regulations about the collection and use of individuals’ data, but the details of the program have not been publicly announced.

It is unclear precisely what information the agency is relying upon to make these risk assessments, given the extensive range of records it can access, including tax identification number, past travel itineraries, property records, physical characteristics, and law enforcement or intelligence information.

The measures go beyond the background check the government has conducted for years, called Secure Flight, in which a passenger’s name, gender and date of birth are compared with terrorist watch lists. Now, the search includes using a traveler’s passport number, which is already used to screen people at the border, and other identifiers to access a system of databases maintained by the Department of Homeland Security.

Privacy groups contacted by The New York Times expressed concern over the security agency’s widening reach.

“I think the best way to look at it is as a pre-crime assessment every time you fly,” said Edward Hasbrouck, a consultant to the Identity Project, one of the groups that oppose the prescreening initiatives. “The default will be the highest, most intrusive level of search, and anything less will be conditioned on providing some additional information in some fashion.”

The T.S.A., which has been criticized for a one-size-fits-all approach to screening travelers, said the initiatives were needed to make the procedures more targeted.

“Secure Flight has successfully used information provided to airlines to identify and prevent known or suspected terrorists or other individuals on no-fly lists from gaining access to airplanes or secure areas of airports,” the security agency said in a statement. “Additional risk assessments are used for those higher-risk passengers.”

An agency official discussed some aspects of the initiative on the condition that she not be identified. She emphasized that the main goal of the program was to identify low-risk travelers for lighter screening at airport security checkpoints, adapting methods similar to those used to flag suspicious people entering the United States.

Anyone who has never traveled outside the United States would not have a passport number on file and would therefore not be subject to the rules that the agency uses to determine risk, she said, although documents indicate that the agency is prescreening all passengers in some fashion.

The official added that these rules consider things like an individual’s travel itinerary, length of stay abroad and type of travel document, like a passport. If an airline has a traveler’s passport number on file, it is required to share that information with the T.S.A., even for a domestic flight.

The agency also receives a code indicating a passenger is a member of the airline’s frequent-flier program and has access to details about past travel reservations, known as passenger name records. This official could not confirm if that information was being used to assess a passenger’s risk.

The effort comes as the agency is trying to increase participation in its trusted traveler program, called PreCheck, that allows frequent fliers to pass through security more quickly after submitting their fingerprints and undergoing a criminal-background check.

FLORENCE, Ala., Dec. 6, 2013 /Christian Newswire/ -- CharityTracker has announced that scanner and barcode technology is now being offered for use with the CharityTracker Plus version of their product.

CharityTracker is an online service used by faith-based nonprofits, community nonprofits, churches, and government agencies to keep track of information pertaining to client intake and reporting data. CharityTracker's software is designed to help clients be more efficient with resources, measure outcomes, and reduce duplication of efforts.

The newly available features will enable clients to open case files and add assistance records with just a couple of scans, as well as print and use scannable ID cards. There is only a scanner to purchase and barcodes can be printed on any home or workplace printer. This will streamline intake processes and greatly reduce data entry time for assistance givers and benevolence workers.

While the software is flexible and can work with many different models of scanners, 100% compatibility has been tested and confirmed with the Motorola LI2208 and Symbol LS4208. Both are widely available scanners and can be independently purchased from your retailer of choice. These scanner features will also be available in CharityTracker's sister product, Oasis Insight, which is used primarily by food banks.

CharityTracker was developed by Simon Solutions Inc., and now has networks in 678 cities. CharityTracker keeps track of over $150,000,000 in assistance spending since it was first implemented in Northwest Alabama in 2007.http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/2499073304.html

Whatever happened to just playing football? When I used to watch an NFL game on television, I only wanted to watch the game. I never appreciated listening to their liberal political agenda often being spewed out by their talking heads such as Bob Costas.

The NFL and Its Globalist Agenda

The NFL now represents the antithesis of everything that comprises the backbone of traditional American values. I love the game of football. Football was one of the sports that I grew up playing and I later coached the sport as a former head coach in the high school ranks prior to moving to coach college basketball. I thoroughly enjoyed the competition at every level both as a player and a coach. However, the NFL has taken all the fun out of the game, because the league spouts the mantra of the globalist forces which seeks to enslave us.

The NFL Is An Extension of the TSA

Invasive NFL security. What’s the difference?

The NFL has decided it is not enough for Americans to be abused by the TSA at the airport, the NFL has become the newest version of the TSA.

Invasive TSA security.

TSA perverted pat down.

This past November, as I have done so many times before, I was planning to drive my family from Arizona to San Diego to watch my favorite sports team, the Denver Broncos, play the San Diego Chargers. We were also going to turn the event into a mini-vacation.

NFL perverted pat down.

What’s the difference?

However, I discovered the NFL has become an extension of the TSA. Subsequently, the NFL has rolled out the new DHS ”anti-terrorism” security measures at all stadiums.The Hodges family vacation plans were cancelled. In fact, I have attended my last NFL game under the new Sovietization of the National Football League.The National Football League has instituted new security rules at all stadiums which bans certain items. Prohibited items include, but are not limited to: purses larger than a clutch bag, coolers, briefcases, backpacks, fanny packs, cinch bags, seat cushions, luggage of any kind, computer bags and camera bags or any bag larger than the permissible size.” And, they have granted themselves the “right” to touch you anywhere, in their enhanced pat downs from the ankles and above. Welcome to Police State America, NFL style.

TSA perverted pat down.

What’s the difference?

NFL perverted pat down.

The People React

In an Arizona Republic newspaper article (8/18/2013, B1, B6), people weighed in on the new NFL policies.

Sue Kish, 48, while attending an Arizona Cardinals game, found that she and her two daughters were told that their clear plastic container, designed to replace her banned purse, was too large and she would have to return her belongings to her car. Kish proceeded back to her car with her two daughters in tow. All three expressed frustration including her daughter, Natalie, as she asked if she had to “…put our tampons in a clear plastic bag? (Az Republic, B1).” Natalie gets it. Some people get it, but most Americans don’t, as they continue to tolerate the increasing level of tyranny in this country as evidenced by the following quote made by Heather Gunderson, an Arizona Cardinals season-ticket holder, who was quoted in the Arizona Republic about her response to the new invasive NFL security rules.

Citation:

“It is kind of a nuisance…but I do understand the rule. It’s a whole new world, and you’ve got to follow the rules and regulations and be safe”.

Obviously, Ms. Gunderson never grasped the teachings of Ben Franklin and the folly of trading liberty for security in her high school history class. Henderson is correct about one thing: it is a whole new world, as in the New World Order. The Gunderson quote is typical of our citizen sheep and her views represents why I believe we are losing our country. We have largely lost the ability to think for ourselves. Most of our people fail to appreciate where America is heading. Clearly, our national tyranny meters are turned off. Oh, I know, we have to worry about the terrorists. Since the first casualty on the war on terror has been the Constitution, I think we have pretty much lost that war.The people that acquiesce to this tyranny would likely tell you that America is the best nation in the world. If you are a sheep, you probably believe the old Bush propaganda when he said “they” hate us because of our freedoms. Really?The NFL Is An Extension of the DHS and the NSA

The NFL has become your big brother.

In September of 2011, then Secretary of DHS, Janet Napolitano, announced new partnerships between the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) “If You See Something, Say Something” public awareness campaign and several sports organizations as well as various colleges and universities. Partnerships include National Football League (NFL) teams, Major League Baseball (MLB) teams, the U.S. Open Tennis Championships (USTA), Ohio State University and the University of Oklahoma.

Let’s make no mistake about it, that this is a citizen spy program which is reminiscent of the same entity implemented by East German Stasi, resulting in the persecution of hundreds of thousands of East German citizens. Should it come as a surprise to anyone since former Stasi chief, Markus Wolf, was paid $5 million dollars to set up DHS?

NFL Uses Taxpayer Money to Promote Obamacare

Despite the fact that Obamacare is “dead on arrival”, it has not stopped the administration and the NFL from shamelessly promoting the already failed healthcare system.

Your tax dollars at work.In a “Sponsorship Agreement” between the Maryland Health Connection and the NFL football team, the Baltimore Ravens, the state of Maryland, with taxpayer money, will pay the 2012 Super Bowl champs $130,000 to shamelessly promote Obamacare on television, radio, the team’s official website, in its newsletter and in social media.The NFL Has Become the New Gun Confiscation Lobby

The new symbol for gun confiscation.

Nice to know that the NFL, the UN, DHS and FEMA are on the same team when it comes to your gun rights.

Who will ever forget as sportscaster and pseudo-intellectual, Bob Costas, used a national football television audience to promote the anti-Second Amendment views of the NFL in reference to a gun control rant Costas made after former Kansas City Chiefs player, Jovan Belcher, was involved in a murder-suicide tragedy. Costas, during halftime of the Kansas City-Denver Broncos game, quoted Fox Sports columnist Jason Whitlock and said, “If Jovan Belcher didn’t possess a gun, he and Kasandra Perkins would both be alive today”.It was disgraceful for Costas to use a tragedy on national TV to advance the NFL’s anti-gun agenda.

5. Firearms, ammunition or other weapons; however, stores that sell firearms and ammunition (e.g., outdoor stores and camping stores) will be permitted, provided they sell other products and the ads do not mention firearms, ammunition or other weapon.

Subsequently, we have seen the NFL support the erosion of the Constitution, namely, the First , Second and Fourth Amendments to the Constitution and this is being done at a time when Obama is arming the al-Qaeda backed Syrian rebels. And let’s not forget that this same President was arming the Mexican drug cartels by shipping guns into Mexico under Fast and Furious. The NFL Promises to Participate in America’s Coming Dark Days

Seemingly, in the past few months, nearly every American community has been besieged with being the recipient of some form of martial law training in their community. Even our children are not immune to these practices. Every school requires bus evacuation drills from every campus in America. In Operation Mountain Guardian, the children are removed from their campus to a nearby stadium for martial law processing.

Every NFL Stadium Is a FEMA Camp Hiding In Plain Sight

At Giants Stadium, on March 24, 2011, DHS and local law enforcement conducted a “relocation” drill in which civilians were transported to the stadium.

On September 23, 2011, children, without warning, were abducted from their Denver schools by FEMA and taken to the Colorado Sports Authority football stadium. At my son’s middle school, we cannot even have my son’s aunt pick him unless she is registered with the school and shows identification. Yet, FEMA can literally abduct children from their schools without parental permission or notification? This is outrageous!

The drill went so far as to hire mock parents, trying to simulate a reuniting between the abducted children and “their fictitious” parents (see the DHS recruitment letter written to the Denver Public Schools listed at the bottom of the page). The mock parent would beg DHS personnel to release their children. This was nothing but a desensitization exercise to get Federal personnel to become callous the pleas of would-be parents. Let me take this opportunity to state that drills are done with the expectation that the drill will someday reflect the same circumstances in real life. This drill clearly showed the intent to separate parents and children in times of crisis. Carefully examine the following sign.

This is one of the signs outside of Arrowhead Stadium, home of the Kansas City NFL team. Notice the segregation of single females. Can you think of a legitimate reason why stadium authorities would segregate females…..?

At Arrowhead Stadium, home to the NFL Kansas City Chiefs, we see the segregation of women from other fans entering the stadium. Now, why would the officials at Arrowhead Stadium institute such a policy? Simple, they are conditioning the public to accept being separated from one another. What my insider sources tell me is that the future martial law detention camps will consist of men in one camp, women in another and children in a third camp.

FEMA/DHS tipped their hand at Operation Mountain Guardian when they snatched the kids from their elementary schools. I think it is highly likely that children will be taken while at school in order to lure their parents in to the public detention facilities. This also tells you that the coming false flag attacks will take place between noon to 2 pm (Eastern), 9 am to 11 am (Pacific) in order to have all of America’s public school students in school in order for DHS/FEMA to control them. The sigh at Arrowhead Stadium demonstrates clear intent that the NFL is working DHS in order to become martial law ready.This also signals that the NFL stadiums are going to be staging areas for martial law. Perceived trouble makers will be lured to their final destination of justice as they try and retrieve their children. I will elaborate more fully on this in the next part of this series.

Here are children being separated from the authority of their parents as well as the supervision of school officials. FEMA had no right to abduct these children. Again, it is all part of the conditioning process. According to the globalists, your children do not belong to you. Your body does not belong to you. Everything belongs to the state.

What Is the Motivation Behind the NFL’s Actions?

Nobody is asking why the NFL would so willingly go along with this tyranny that is beginning to alienate the fan base of America’s most popular sport. The answer to this question is the same answer to the question as to why today’s pastors have compromised their message delivered from the pulpit.

Churches no longer take on issues like abortion, homosexuality and the war in Afghanistan from their pulpits on high. Pastor’s have willingly adopted the perverted interpretation of Romans 13 to get their flock to blindly follow the orders of a tyrannical government. Why would the pastors do this? The root of all evil is indeed money. As most churches declare themselves tax exempt under the provisions of 501 c 3, the IRS forbids the pastors to make political statements, or to allow a tax-exempt church to engage in political activity as a body. So, you might ask, what does this have to do with the globalization of the NFL? The NFL is granted the privilege of violate the anti-trust legislation this country. Both your pastors and the NFL have sold out their integrity for 30 pieces of silver.

Conclusion

There are a number of ways that people could react to this information. I do not believe that denial would be one of the expected responses as there is just too much proof that the NFL is no longer just in the entertainment business. The NFL is firmly in the grip of the globalists and subservient to their agenda. Mainstream America is enthralled with this entity that made over $9 billion dollars last year. However, the NFL does not represent the values of the American middle class once the game action leaves the field.If Americans wanted to strike a blow at the globalists, boycotting the NFL would prove to be an ideal course of action. What message would that send to the globalists if the NFL were to go down in flames for supporting the New World Order agenda?

Simply put, do not buy NFL clothing and write to their corporate partners telling them that you are boycotting their products, as well, because they are affiliated with the NFL. The initials, NFL, should come to stand for Not For Long. We have the ability to win this one battle. We can destroy this globalist entity by simply withdrawing our support. And if that strategy were to work in collapsing this entity, imagine how empowered the people would become in taking on other globalist-controlled programs.

In the next part of the this series, I am going to reveal what insiders are saying about the detention centers and what will happen when the forced incarcerations begin. To view the next part in this series, log on here. Just one hint about the next article in this series, getting people herded into the stadiums, is only the beginning.

The Colorado North Central Region, Denver MMRS, Denver UASI, Denver Police Department and Denver Public Schools are looking for 30 parent volunteers to participate in the upcoming Operation Mountain Guardian (OMG) exercise on Friday, September 23, 2011. OMG is a fullscale, multi-jurisdictional exercise that will take place at several locations in the Denver metro area. The exercise will focus on the emergency response to multiple terrorism-based incidents and will include more than 80 law enforcement, fire, EMS, hospital, and emergency management agencies.

*DPS is in need of parent volunteers to report to Rita Bass Center at Denver Health, 190 West 6th Avenue (SE Corner of 6th Avenue and Bannock Street) at 8:00 a.m. on Sept. 23, 2011.

*Parents will be asked to test the medical information release and reunification processes in place across the city. The exercise should finish at Denver Health at approximately 11:30 a.m.

*Parents are also need to test the same systems at Sports Authority Field. Parents will need to report to the north entrance of the stadium at 12:00p.m. The exercise will finish at approximately 3:00 p.m.

Parking at both locations will be provided. Please note this is an exercise designed to test the metro areas response to a catastrophic incident. DPS will be evaluating our Emergency Preparedness procedures in our schools, Response, Evacuations, Reunification, and the procedures for response by DPS departments: Safety and Security, Communications, Transportation, Facilities, Enterprise Management, Risk Management and others as necessary.

If you are able to volunteer please contact Melissa Craven, Melissa_craven@dpsk12.orgor 720-424-2634. In your message please provide your name and contact information as well as which location you wish to volunteer. Site specific details will be sent prior to the exercise.

i am a bible thumpin jesus freak, i am also a three tour combat veteran with a purple heart, i believe in the bible ,god,jesus,the holy spirit, i believe in the very foundation of this country, i believe in the constitution, the declaration of independence and the bill of rights, i believe in the 1620 mayflower compact and now that i have said all that i want to be very clear about one thing IF ANYONE OR ANY AGENCY TOUCH’S MY PRECIOUS FAMILY IN ANY WAY, THEY WILL DIE BY MY HAND, I GIVE YOU MY WORD OF HONOR YOU WILL WISH, YOU WILL CURSE THE DAY YOU WERE BORN, YOU WILL PRAY FOR DEATH …………….BOB

Great article Dave.I don’t always agree with you,but you hit the bulls eye out of the target with this one.I am so glad someone finally shed some light on the NFL,( actually all American sports), and the agenda,( and there is always an agenda), behind them.I am always amazed at how easily the NFL supports every illegal war that comes down the pike, disguising it with copious displays of patriotism.Trotting out veterans,before the game ,and at half time,displaying huge field size flags,and of course, the ever popular fly over during the singing of the nation anthem.No one ever seems to object.No one ever questions it. I have often wondered if I am the only one who sees through this. I attended a NY Giants game after we got involved in the second gulf war.As a protest I refused to stand during the singing of the national anthem. As a result,I was threatened with bodily harm from the fans sitting next to me.They told me to stand or they would make me stand.The slaves defending their captor. More than once I have missed the first minutes of the opening quarter in order to to be needlessly searched. In the search line, I repeatedly heard people reciting the same mantra, “It may be inconvenient but it’s necessary”. It just makes one want to throw one’s hands up in despair.What does it take to wake people up? I no longer attend NFL games. Can’t deal with the blindness.Very sad to see what has happened to the game I love so much.Be well.

Interesting synchronicity – I think it is Bonnie who mentions that the NFL is the Sumerian word for Nephilim in this video I watched just yesterday, published on Jul 25, 2013VANCOUVER, BC – In an interview with Alfred Lambremont Webre, John and Bonnie Mitchell of Awakenvideo.org share their expose of Mnemonic mind control technology pervasively embedded in mainstream television, from news broadcasts to sports to public affairs and other programming, making mainstream television a mass mind control weapon.The mnemonic circle technology that is sublimionally embedded in mainstream TV is based, according to Awakenvideo.org, on Satanic Illuminatic “spin” trauma-based minc control and induces the mind of the viewer into a hypnotic trance, similar to the CIA “Monarch” mind control. More: http://www.rumormillnews.com/cgi-bin/forum.cgi?read=293529

Informative article, but seeing that professional sports is the largest religion in the USSA, I don’t expect that its adherents have any intention of disobeying their god. In fact, most would likely melt in (pseudo) patriotic fervor at the prospect of of their being an alliance between their chosen sports religion (pick ‘em) and the federal government.The article states: “…there is just too much proof that the NFL is no longer just in the entertainment business. The NFL is firmly in the grip of the globalists and subservient to their agenda.”“JUST in the entertainment business”? Isn’t the entertainment business, in and of itself, firmly in the grip of the globalists and subservient to their agenda? The two are inseparable, and have been for a very long time. But “we’ve” been too busy watching the ball game to notice or care to notice. And most will go right on watching. After all, it’s the American way.

There are several reasons to not even watch the NFL, at least not more than one game per week. Reason number one is it is a highly violent game, where the average career is just over three years, a great deal of players suffer debilitating brain damage, and the life expectancy is much shorter than the average citizen. The second reason is you are wasting almost four hours of your life watching one silly ass game that has absolutely no effect upon your life, unless you are one of many millions of imbeciles who gambles on these games.The third reason is the games are fixed, and if you do not believe that, then you might be interested in a bridge in NYC that you can purchase cheaply and quickly make your money back by charging tolls. The fourth reason is it encourages children and adults (who have not grown up) to worship as ‘heroes’, muscle bound freaks whose only skill is playing a children’s game. All in all, from a purely rational perspective, watching NFL games is retarded.

The NFL is in the grips of the NWO since it gets it’s money from advertisers. I’ve cancelled my cable altogether and turned my tv off. I’m not going to give them my money, any of it. Remember cable was supposed to be no commercials? Anyway the commercials are so insulting to ones intelligence especially the ones during the Super Bowl.

The news carried the new NFL procedures. Some years ago I quit watching NFL teams. I think too many Sheeple get wrapped up in the game. Using NFL & other stadiums as FEMA centers I cannot support them.

Excellent article Dave! No offense to football fans but I could never get into the sport much but yet I do watch my Green Bay Packers usually the 4th quarter because anything goes if both teams are neck and neck to win.The stupid moronic American sheeple with their brains out to lunch, will drop their pants down to their ankles at a stadium during an illegal unconstitutional search just to watch a game. (no pun). The game is more important than their country and freedoms. Sports and dumb down TV hahaha puke comedy sitcoms is more important! This is America, can’t happen here!Ted Turner owner of the Communist News Network (CNN) made a statement which can be looked up on a search engine (not Google try Startpage.com) said, “United States has got the dumbest people in the world.” How true! I say, “The American people are beyond stupidity.” I got kicked off the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel for making these statements on their comment blogs when sports was more important than what was really going on in the USA!!The 41st president of the United States George Bush Sr. (who should be in prison along with his son junior) mention “The New World Order.” a few times. One of those NWO speeches, he said, ” And we will be successful and we will be….,” What did he know and means ‘We’ will be successful??? Does he know something we don’t? Does he know up to his eye balls that the American sheeple are too stupid and will fall for anything? Of course! Commit a crisis and the stupid American sheeple will follow orders.If I was to offer every person a five dollar bill if you come to my place to get your car washed…just watch the sheeple show up just to get that five dollar bill! I hope I made my point! If not, correct me! Thanks!